"And My Story Waits Like A Restful Beast"

"Only when you are safely sheltered, Papa said, can you tell which way the wind is blowing. Only from the calm, he said, can you see how to protect yourself."

"But this time, he says, a woman like you could make all the difference."

"The abolitionists may well call me their equal, but their lips do not yet say my name and their ears do not yet hear my story."

"I will write down my story so that it waits like a restful beast with lungs breathing and heart beating."

"Don't laugh, John Clarkson says a little too sharply, I bet she has read more books than you."

"Englishmen do love to bury one thing so completely in another that the two can only be separated by force: peanuts in candy, boiled ginger with honey, Africans in irons."

"If I live long enough to finish this story, it will outlive me."

"Sometimes I imagine the first reader to come upon my story. Could it be a girl? Perhaps a woman. A man. An Englishman. An African. One of these people will find my story and pass it along. And then, I believe, I will have lived for a reason."

The Book of Negroes Title

I feel that the title The Book of Negroes to be appropriate to the story. It is deliberately referring to the historical document of the same name. If this is the title the author chose for the book, there is most certainly a considerable reason - or many - and we should respect that. The content of the book itself is very explicit; anybody reading it should be able to cope with considered "inappropriate" words, phrases, and circumstances. Censorship as a practice is acceptable, but it's not fair to criticize and try to change original works. The book burnings are extremely inappropriate and even offensive. As already explained, it's quite evident that the author isn't being racist by intentionally throwing the word "negroes." However, if need be, I would suggest the following alternative names:

"Pink Water"

"Dark Nights, Dark Days"

"A Lion Called Injustice"

The Essay

I personally really appreciate and enjoy the essay "The Suitcase Lady" by Christie McLaren. It's a beautiful, raw, and layered story about the unanimousness of the homeless. It gives the reader a sense of nothingness and anonymousness. There's a certain delicacy to the homeless lady in the story, and its inevitable to not necessarily pity, but actually sympathize with her. The story is very tragic, and it's very honest. I think I personally enjoy this piece because I am from Toronto. I also generally enjoy pieces that discuss being "lost" and "anonymous."

Introduction

Hi all, my name is Sophie Ward. I go to Ridley College, and have done so since grade five. In the classroom I enjoy film, english, and the arts the most. I assert myself in field hockey, ice hockey, and rugby. I love music, and on my spare time can be found with friends or writing music (lyrics and/or music) and poetry. My favorite shows are True Blood, Orange Is the New Black, Nurse Jackie, The OC, and Entourage. My favorite movies are Kill Bill (Vol. 1 and 2), Pulp Fiction, Bridesmaids, Gia, Perks of Being A Wallflower, Limitless, Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, and Savages. I enjoy all music - specifically alternative, R&B, and electrohouse. My favourite books are Go Ask Alice, Will Grayson Will Grayson, The Uglies, The Pretties, The Extras, The Specials, Savages, Orange Is The New Black, Looking For Alaska, Scar Tissue, and Speak. I love all poetry for its depth and beauty; I enjoy getting lost in underlying meanings and polysemy. I also enjoy reading movie scripts and lyrics to my favorite music. I myself do some writing: poetry, lyrics, and stories. This year in English, I wish to further expand my knowledge in literature and increase my literacy abilities.